| No Images? Click here   Hey Queer Voices readers! As we approach the end of the year, we know your inboxes are getting swarmed. So, James Michael Nichols, who runs day-to-day operations for Queer Voices, is going to email you just once a week with the queer news that matters most, so you can stay in the loop without feeling overwhelmed. Oh, and we’re always trying to make this newsletter better for you, so if you have feedback, let us know!In the months leading up to Tuesday’s Senate special election in Alabama, Republican candidate Roy Moore cemented himself as one of the most virulently anti-LGBTQ candidates in U.S. history. Queer voters faced the prospect of a man coming to power who compared LGBTQ rights to Nazism and claimed that homosexual conduct should be illegal. And Moore’s anti-LGBTQ views weren’t limited to words ― he actively worked against the community throughout his judicial career (he twice served as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court). So it’s no surprise that queer people geared up for the special election and played a crucial role in helping Democrat Doug Jones sweep to victory. Early in the race, The Human Rights Campaign and Equality Alabama identified this political battle as one that held significant weight for queer Americans. Representatives from both organizations told HuffPost that 60,000 Alabamians identify as LGBTQ ― a minority with enough voting power to swing the race in Jones’ direction (in the preliminary final vote, he led by about 20,700 votes). “Because HRC already has an established presence in Alabama and thousands of supporters, that led HRC to making an early endorsement in this race and pour tremendous financial resources and staff time into his campaign,” Ben Needham, who heads the group’s push to expand LGBTQ equality in the South, told HuffPost. On the ground in Alabama, HRC efforts included door-to-door and phone canvassing across Alabama to ensure LGBTQ voters would turn out on Election Day. The organizations also partnered with the NAACP ― a crucial move, as black women played a major role in Jones’ Alabama victory. “I think for so long politicians and people running for office have neglected the LGBTQ community because they view it as this kind of lighting rod ― especially in the South,” Equality Alabama Director Alex Smith told HuffPost. “Talking about LGBTQ issues can be a deal breaker and can lose elections immediately. But I think we’re seeing that change now ― we’re seeing that candidates who embrace equality are candidates who get elected.” Want more? Head here.
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